Home with Heroes focuses on helping local veterans

Published 12:14 am Thursday, December 8, 2016

 

NATCHEZ — If you love your country, love veterans and are willing to help those who risked their lives for freedom, Home with Heroes has a place for you.

The local nonprofit is looking for volunteers to help with the organization’s many projects dedicated to helping local veterans.

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“We are always looking for team members,” President Mark LaFrancis said.

Created nearly two years ago by LaFrancis and local resident Jimmy Allgood, Home with Heroes identified areas of the veteran community that required attention.

“We wanted to fill the seams of the services already being provided in the community,” LaFrancis said.

Organizations like the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars were offering many things to veterans, LaFrancis said.

Home with Heroes looks to offer services that are not being provided by the local organizations, he said.

“We provide emergency funding for clothes, food and temporary shelter for veterans who face emergency situations,” LaFrancis said. “We also provide emergency gift cards.”

The group’s Helping Hands for Veterans offers light home and yard improvements to area veterans in need.

“The program helps veterans feel good about their property and assures them that there are people who care about veterans,” LaFrancis said.

The organization is 100-percent volunteer run, LaFrancis said. No board member or officer is compensated, he said.

The group works closely with Adams County Veterans Service Officer Sonjagela Johnson, who LaFrancis said is a valuable team member.

Other Home with Heroes projects include a patriotism education program for elementary and middle school students. The program has already been presented  to 1,500 area students. The group also offers scholarships to area high school seniors and supports Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s veterans scholarship.

LaFrancis said the group also helps organizations like Operation G.R.I.T.S. and supports the flag retirement ceremony coordinated by the Boy Scouts and the Miss-Lou Veterans Coalition.

Volunteers interested in helping Home with Heroes can contact LaFrancis at 601-442-0980 or by email at homewithheroes@outlook.com.

“We do not charge dues, and there is no membership,” LaFrancis said.

LaFrancis said the motto of the organization is simple.

“You honor a veteran, you honor America,” he said.